Eight Muslim-majority countries "strongly condemned" Israel's move to pass a law making death by hanging a default sentence for Palestinians convicted in military courts of deadly attacks, a joint statement released by Pakistan said on Thursday. The law, passed by Israel's parliament on Monday, will apply to Israelis convicted of murder whose attacks are aimed at "ending Israel's existence", meaning it would mete out the death penalty for Palestinians but not for Jewish Israelis who committed similar crimes, critics say. ADVERTISEMENTPalestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has condemned the legislation as a breach of international law and a doomed bid to intimidate Palestinians. "They stressed the importance of ensuring accountability and called for strengthened international efforts to uphold stability and prevent further deterioration," it said. Supporters of the law argue that the death penalty will deter Palestinians from carrying out deadly attacks against Israelis or attempting kidnappings with the aim of affecting swap deals for Palestinians jailed in Israeli prisons.

Source: The Telegraph April 02, 2026 11:58 UTC